Gordon The Bike Guy

When is eight more than twenty four? That is when my loving wife tells me so. This lesson was learned on a recent bicycle excursion that exposed this new math to me. My wife’s bike is a regular 24 speed hybrid style bike, with two shifters on the handlebars, three chain rings on the front and 8 sprockets on the rear. Now I know that’s a lot of math and sometimes all those levers and cogs makes gear shifting intimidating for some riders. When my wife tried a bike that was an eight speed with only one shifter she was able to use the whole range of gears. She felt that the bike actually had more gears then her other 24 speed bike because it was so easy to use. To make it even easier to use, the eight speed bike she was riding had an internal hub gear. I have been raving about these for years and when I saw first hand how much my wife enjoyed ridding a bike with this hub I new my excitement for this type of bike was justified. Today there are more bikes popping up on the market with internal gear hubs. These are easier to use because the rider doesn’t have to be pedaling to shift gears and there is no chain rattling around like on a derailleur type bike.

The world of bicycles is where the axiom “less is more” must have first been used because it is true in most aspects of cycling. The cross country cycle tourist knows that with less equipment they can travel more and competitive racer cyclists will choose less weight for more speed. Also, cycling shorts are made from spandex because less material is more comfortable. Think about it; a world where less is more. This notion can be very liberating and can alleviate many symptoms of industrial disease where the goal is to consume more and have less. Bicycles use less and give more in just about every way. A shiver just went down my spine writing this as I am trying to be a good capitalist and run a bicycle store where I definitely want you, to want more, of the things in my store. This is somewhat contradictory to my thinking here but I hope you get the point, more or less.

To this end there are a few opportunities with your bicycle to get more. Bike to Work week is soon approaching, and despite the dreadful weather that is now surely in the past, this years bike to work week will out do all the others. The dates this year are May 26th to June 1st. According to the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition last years Bike to Work Week attracted 593 teams with 3,541 participants that resulted in 908 new commuter cyclists. That’s big. Electronic Arts was the biggest in total number of commutes and kilometers commuted. Maybe they were working on a new game “Cycle Cyber Commuter 2008” or something like that. If you want to get a workplace team together it’s easy to do, just visit www.vacc.bc.ca and follow the links to get your team in place. By the way, Cap’s will be out there at commuter stations around Burnaby and New Westminster with prizes, mechanical help and good old fashioned cheers to encourage you on the way.

Something coming up a bit sooner is a new event called the “New Westminster Heritage Cycling Tour”. The Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition is again involved, this time collaborating with the New Westminster Museum and Archives, to take you on a cycle tour of BC’s first city. The tour finishes at Irving House after taking the wheelers along city greenways through Columbia Street, Queen’s Park and Sapperton where you might happen to see one of Canada’s oldest bicycle shops. The tour happens on May 24th from 1:00 - 4:00 pm and the registration fee is only five dollars. How you apply the less is more rule here is up to you but keep those pedals turning and you’ll be fine.

You would be excused if you thought that the Bike Guy was overjoyed with the news of the carbon tax that will soon be placed on gas. After all, the extinction of the car is what bike people all over the world dream about. I am sorry to burst the bubble, but I am as upset and disappointed about this new tax as most of you are. Why would that be? I think that more needs to be done to encourage the new rather then discouraging the old. Taxing gas more will increase the cost of most goods and services and the prices of bicycles and most everything else will go up. As for slowing down our collective use of fossil fuels lets consider the ‘Frog in the Frying Pan’. If you were so inclined to put a frog in a hot frying pan he would likely jump out, but put a frog in a cold pan and slowly apply the heat the frog may not notice when the pan gets too hot. By the way, this is just an analogy, please no calls from animal rights groups or those wishing frog recipes. Slowly raising fuel prices is slowly turning up the heat and we may not know when to stop jumping to the pump.

Has the Bike Guy become too philosophical or am I just a negative Nelly? Well, you can bet your frogs legs that I’ve got an idea or two to encourage less driving and more bike riding. Let’s face it, our cities and lifestyles are designed around cars and most of us have to drive sometimes, just not, all the time. The efforts should be on encouraging people to choose a way to get around that is healthier for our planet; eliminating the trans-gassy car trips from our transportation diet so to speak. I propose a special “green” license plate for car drivers who drive less than 10,000 kilometers a year. If veterans, Olympic supporters and the self-obsessed get custom plates why not green drivers?

Now with Spring starting this week you may just be getting around to stowing the ski equipment and finding the bicycles buried at the back of the shed. A few things to do before heading out on that first ride would be to air up the tires, dust off the grass clippings, oil the chain and check the fit. Airing up the tires is easy if you can find the pump. A full size foot pump is the fastest and easiest way to correctly inflate bicycle tires. If you need to purchase a new one look for one that has a built in gauge and doesn’t tip over easily. A less green option is one of those nifty air compressors that plug into a cars cigarette lighter. Fill the tires slowly at first, stopping when there is about 20 PSI in the tire and give the wheel a spin to check that the tire is staying seated on the rim. If you see the tube bulging out from the tire, stop and get help. Tires have a pressure range marked on the side. For example, it might read 55 to 80 PSI so inflate the tire to somewhere in the range marked on your tire. Go with the lower pressure for more comfort and the higher pressure for more speed.

Cleaning your bike is next. All you need is a rag to wipe the dust off and a bucket of soapy water to wash. Pressure nozzles and car washes can be very harmful to bikes as they blast water into places it shouldn’t  be. Take the time to clean your bike and get to know each other again. While cleaning watch out for things that are loose or don’t look right. After washing, put some bike lube on the chain. Don’t use motor oil, cooking oil, or any other oil,  because only a lubricant made for a bicycle should be used. Then if everything is tight and you are up for a ride take your bike for a shake down spin. Don’t forget to wear a helmet. Does the fit seem right, do the gears shift and the brakes work? After a short ride you will know if a spring tune up is needed or if you can jump right into riding and keep those pedals turning.

There has been a rumbling lately about a public bicycle system. The news stories focus is on Paris which launched the new darling of bicycle sharing programs this past summer. Velib, is the programs given name and it consists of more than 10,600 bikes available at 750 stations all over the city. The program lets users swipe their credit card and take and return a bike. Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe hopes Velib will cut car traffic in the city by 40 per cent by 2020.

There are many programs out there and recently Translink has been floating the idea. I have been thinking about bike sharing programs and have been undecided about whether they are good or not. Then, a seemingly unrelated story lept from the pages of The Vancouver Sun and brought the issue into focus for me. The payphone, that iconic temple of communication that was once the saviour of stranded motorists or husbands who had lost their shopping list is nearing extinction. When was the last time you saw a pack of payphones, neatly lined up along a wall, waiting to eat up your quarters? The report stated that in Canada there are 150,000 payphones and they will be phased out at 3% a year. I think that is optomistic in the payphones favour. Video stores were quick to phase out VHS. Let’s face it old technology gets extinct fast.

How do pay phones correlate to bicycles? Well, bicycle sharing programs could be called pay bikes. Pay phones are extinct because they cost to much to maintain and almost everyone has a phone in their pocket now. Pay bikes will be expensive to maintain and the cost of a good bike is well within the reach of anyone who can afford a cellphone. Why would pay bikes work? They would work for tourists or stranded motorists but I remain sceptical if they would work for the general public. I do see a potential for something that would work though. For Paris to have over 10,000 bikes available at the swipe of a card they must have over 10,000 safe and wired bicycle locking contraptions. Cities don’t like getting things stolen, so those parking spots must be well designed. I say skip the bikes and just provide the good secure bicycle parking. Riders will glady swipe a card or phone a number for a secure bicycle lock up because it would sure be better then carrying a 10 pound lock.

I’ve decided now that I think bike sharing programs are good for tourism but that to encourage more bike trips by commuters there should be better routes and better parking. Now that I’ve made up my mind I can ponder other reasons why a bike sharing program might be implemented. It would take someone more cynical then me to suggest that this might be a power move by translink to take over the bicycle end of the transportation network. If Translink put in a bike share plan then maybe only Translink’s bikes would be allowed on buses and Skytrains. Bicycles are accounting for 6% of commuter trips now and forecasts are that this number will rise. Translink hates competition. The New Westminster Trolley Company had to satisfy them that their service was for tourism and not for another bus service on the new Sixth Street route. You’d have to have a pretty dim view of Translink to think these things. After all, Translink is allowing bikes on Skytrain sometimes and they did put bike racks on the buses that you could use in the daylight. I like what they have done in San Diego and other Califonian cities. There the municipal governments give you a cash rebate if you ride a bike. Sounds like just the plan to keep those pedals turning.

A year-long pass for the program costs $41.75, a one-day pass $1.42 and a weekly pass $7.15. On the day the program launched, 13,000 people had already bought annual passes.

This is some real neat info on the NiteRider LED light systems we sell

If you scroll over the names of the lights it shows an actual test of how bright it is:  http://bikemag.com/gear/accessories/LED_Light_Test_1/

There is a picture hanging in my office of my dad and me in a one horse open sleigh. The picture was the front page of The Sun newspaper on December 24th, 1970. The only other items under the masthead were the words “Merry Christmas to all Sun Readers”. The day the picture was taken I was a cold, crabby 7 year old with no idea why I was being dragged out to the wilds of Burke Mountain. The lesson that day was the same as it was when anyone got wrapped up in dad’s plans; go with the flow and everything will work out for the best. This is something to remember at this stressful time of the year as holiday shoppers struggle to find that perfect gift for those they care about the most.

What should you do if there is a bicycle rider on your list? Here are some gift ideas that will be surefire hits for any cyclist. A great little gift that is under $10 and suitable for any rider young or old is a hub shiner. You’re excused if you don’t know what a hub shiner is. We haven’t had these in the store for years. You can be sure that this is something they won’t already have. A local craftsman has done up a few and they are cool. They are made from leather, just like they were 100 years ago, but with some fancy patterns embossed into them. Hub shiners fit any bike and do a simple little job, keep the bicycles hub clean and shiny. There are some other things that cyclists always need or can never have enough of. A nice, new, clean water bottle makes a good gift, and you can pack other treats inside of it too. Look for a bottle that is made from better materials that are dishwasher safe. I suggest the Tacx Source bottle that is made in Holland from polyethylene or the French made Zefal thermal bottle that will keep cold stuff cold and hot stuff hot for longer. Don’t be shy or embarrassed about giving socks this Christmas. Cycling socks are always appreciated as most riders don’t have enough. They are made from sports fabrics such as coolmax and with inspiring slogans and graphics they are functional as well as fun.

The tradition of Christmas trees comes to us from Germany. Also from Germany, is a line of bicycle locks that haven’t been offered in Canada before. People are always concerned about bicycle theft and the only way to stop it is to use a lock. Abus brand bicycle locks are from Germany where they take bike locks seriously. Their locks consistently rank as one of the best in any consumer tests of locks. To start the habit of locking a bicycle, it is important to start at a young age, so that is why we like the children’s locks from Abus. They are easy to use with their large easy to grasp connectors and spring loaded lock mechanisms. By far this is the nicest children’s lock I have ever seen. If you like a real tree rather than an imitation tree you might then have someone on your list that would like a bicycle bell made of wood rather than steel. These little beauties come in Cherry or Padauk wood and are more of a bicycle knocker then a bell.

If you know a little bit about the bike rider on your list then try to pigeon hole them into commuter, road or mountain bike riders. From there it is easy to find a useful present that will be appreciated. Commuters can always use more lights and reflectors for visibility. The only limitation to how many lights a bike should have is how much space there is to bolt another one on. In the case of Knog lights there is no bolting required because they are made in a stretchy rubber casing that is waterproof and attaches to the bike in seconds with no tools. Available in a rainbow of colours, Knog lights are fun.

Road riders can always use new tires. I know that doesn’t sound exciting but believe me after fixing road bike flats for twenty years there is a special place in heaven for anyone giving a roadie new tires. Whether road bike riders are just frugal with their rubber or cheap I’ll leave for others to debate but some riders only change their tires when America changes presidents. On the practical side giving new tires is like giving a new bike. It changes the ride that much.

For the mountain biker an ice pack, tensor bandage and the latest DVD will do. Whatever you get them for their bike they’ll just break anyways so you might as well set them up with stuff they can and will use. Amongst the hot DVD’s for Christmas is the latest in the New World Disorder series. Amazing stunts and mind boggling jumps leave the viewing wondering how much further people can push this sport, but that is what we were thinking ten years ago. If you want a crash course on the progression of the sport get the New World Disorder box set. Previews are available on line at www.nwdfilms.com.

I hope you find that little something special for the two wheeled one on your list. By their nature bike riders should not be too picky because anything to perk up their motivation and help keep those pedals turning is appreciated.

Recently, during a ceremony to mark the start of BC’s 150th anniversary, I learned that on November 19th in the year 1858 James Douglas became the first Governor of the new colony called British Columbia, formerly New Caledonia. Previously on that same day I learned how to make an impromptu skirt guard on a bicycle that is ill-equipped to handle the flowing fabric of pre 1900 Victorian dress. How did these two occurrences come together in one day? Well, during a parade of course. You see, there is a Douglas Day parade held at Fort Langley to mark the occasion of James Douglas’ appointment as Governor. As we were celebrating this historic moment of our territory joining Britain as a colony, I had a British lady helping me separate my wife’s dress from the chain of her bicycle. Lucky for my marriage it was a short parade as my fine lady was prepared to walk her bicycle the distance rather then risk having it get caught again. But the English came to the rescue as they are very crafty at simple and practical solutions to problems. In the case of British Columbia, it was better that we were a colony and not at risk of being annexed by the United States. In the case of the skirt in the chain, a simple skirt guard can be fashioned from some canvas stretched across the rear fender and fastened with elastics to the rear wheel axle. Unfortunately, we hadn’t brought any elastics with us and the local canvas store was shut for the day so I resorted to a plastic bag and some duct tape. It worked great. Red Green should add that one to the many uses of duct tape.

One lady cyclist that didn’t need duct tape or skirt guards to get her name in the history books is Edna Woodcox. You’re excused if that name doesn’t ring a bell and you can’t find it in your history books. Edna might only be mentioned in my collection of Cap’s Bicycle History, because Edna rode a unicycle from New Westminster, the first capital of the colony, to Edmonton which as we all know is the capital of Alberta (46 years after New Westminster was made the capital of BC by the way). Edna’s one wheeled cycling heroics probably had nothing to do with capitals, James Douglas or skirt guards (she wore pants). Edna wanted to see her first nephew, is what The British Columbian newspaper reported on Nov 10th, 1961, the day she arrived in Edmonton. Edna used her free hands to carry a small suitcase and when it rained she held an umbrella over her head. She did accept rides along the way and reports say that the trip to Edmonton involved “eighteen startled motorists” but only three to make it home.

“They’d never send a unicycle before in Edmonton” is what the 22 year old Edna reported about her trip. She confounded the Edmonton police who searched through city ordinances and threatened her with a heavy fine to discourage her from riding along the sidewalks. The police eventually gave way to Edna and attained special permission from the mayor to allow her to ride city streets on her unicycle. Edna started her journey from Cap’s Bicycle Shop in Sapperton, New Westminster on Oct 28, 1961. The newspaper reports that my dad, upon learning of Edna’s planned adventure, refunded her the purchase price of her unicycle so she could afford to by warm clothes. Edna was quoted as saying that learning to ride the unicycle is hard work. “It’s good exercise, especially during the early sessions when, says the unicyclist, most of the exercise comes from bending down to pick up the cycle when it topples.”

Good going Edna, I wish I had met you. Your independent spirit is why ladies can ride bikes today without the worry of needing skirt guards. There was a time that bicycling was strictly a man’s pleasure and women couldn’t participate without putting their reputation at risk by exposing their ankles or worse, wearing pants. The 150th anniversary of British Columbia reminds us of how different things used to be and how they have changed, some for the better and some for the worse. May November the 10th be Edna Woodcock day with a large parade of unicyclists so we can all keep those pedals turning.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks are both .500 hockey teams. Now the Ontario Government is trying to be equal with British Columbia on the bicycle tax issue as well. On November 9th, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced that starting on December 1, bikes and safety equipment will be exempt from retail sales tax. BC has had a retail tax exemption on bicycles since 1980. The context of the Ontario exemption is to encourage Ontarians to stay healthy and be active in their daily lives. As the Premier put it in his announcement, “We want to encourage more Ontarians—young and young-at-heart—to get outdoors, spend time riding bikes as a family and with friends, or to try riding to work if possible, leaving the car at home. “Together, we’re building a culture of health and well-being across Ontario by encouraging more families to embrace active living.”

The Bicycle Trade Association of Canada applauds this announcement as do all the bicycle shops in Ontario. Pete Lilly, the owner of Sweet Pete’s Bike Shop was quoted as saying that “Increasing the affordability of quality bikes for children, youth and those considering cycle commuting sets the stage for a lifetime of cycling.” I spoke with Eric Kamphof who used to work with me at Cap’s a few years ago. He now works at Curbside Cycle on Bloor Street in Toronto and welcomes the announcement. Eric told me that “Curbside has always been promoting cycling as transportation and we regularly teach new commuters how to ride in a suit. This tax break will really help our customers and our business. I hope this initiative lasts and even gets expanded to what you have in BC.” The retail sales tax on bicycles in Ontario was at a pretty substantial amount too, 8%.

When BC put through a tax exemption for bicycles, there were other tax incentives for energy efficient items. I suppose the situation of 27 years ago is similar to the world we live in today. Bicycles, safety items and bicycle parts are still tax exempt in BC, unfortunately for Ontaritonians the current exemption is only scheduled to last for one year, the good times end November 30, 2008. The exemption is only for bicycles that sell below the $1000 price level and safety equipment such as helmets, lights, bells and mirrors. Bicycle parts and accessories are still taxable in Ontario. This exemption is much more limited that what we enjoy in BC where all bikes, parts and accessories installed at the time of bicycle purchase are exempt.

Other announcements from the McGuinty government to encourage Ontaritonians to be healthy include:  requiring 20 minutes of daily physical activity and banning the sale of junk food in schools; giving every Ontarian the right to be free from second-hand smoke with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act which bans smoking in public spaces and workplaces; Protecting the Greenbelt, 1.8 million acres of greenspace; Creating the Ontario Trails Strategy to develop a world-class system of diversified recreational trails and a retail sales tax exemption for nicotine replacement therapies. A proposal to improve mental health by banning all Toronto Maple Leaf games was defeated by a narrow margin of hockey sadists. Once you are finished calling everyone you know in Ontario and bragging about how much better it is here for cyclists then take advantage of the tax break yourself and get the winter bicycle stuff you need. Tires with more grip for the rain, no PST. Lights and reflectors for safe riding at dusk and dawn, no PST. Fenders to keep the splashing down, no PST. If you are really interested in going green with cycling, there was a story in the LA Times recently that highlighted different outdoor equipment for being ‘green’. Amongst the surfboards, skateboards and snowboards was the bamboo bike made by a company in La Selva Beach California. They have produced 100 of the bamboo bike frames and they are being praised for the quality of the ride. Craig Calfee, the owner calls bamboo “tougher than carbon fiber in terms of impact resistance.  If there were an award for “Bicycle with lowest carbon footprint” (least amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the production of the frame), this frame would win, hands down.” It also comes with a ten year warranty. Just stay away from Panda Bears and fire pits. A bamboo frame will set you back about $2600, in BC that would be PST exempt but not in Ontario.   Who knew that you could save so much tax by keeping those pedals turning?

David Earl Newsome is one fellow who might reconsider using his bicycle for work. While many people are finding ways to incorporate a bicycle into their daily commute or errands, David Newsome found out his bicycle was an unsuitable get-away vehicle for the air conditioner heist he had perpetrated. The attempted burglary occurred in Greenville, Texas where hijacking an air conditioner is a felony offense and can lead to a conviction. David Newsome was spotted by police hauling the two ton air conditioner on his bike just a few blocks from the building he had liberated it from. How he had managed to move a two ton air conditioner and what kind of bike he hauled it with is omitted from the story published by the Greenville Herald-Banner. Remember though, this story is from Texas and everything is always bigger there right? David did have the sense to drop the stolen goods before making his get away but he was eventually apprehended a week later pulling off a similar heist. David Newsome will have plenty of time to cool off from his air conditioner crimes as he could get a two year sentence in a state jail. I suggest there should be additional time for putting the good karma that bicycles enjoy in jeopardy.�
High commodity prices are at the root of David Newsome’s crime and are reported as being responsible for the Canadian dollars escalating rise against the US dollar and other currencies. With the Canuck buck doing so well Canadian retailers are under pressure from cross border shopping and the call for prices to be lowered. Bicycle retailers are feeling the pressure as well. I mentioned this in an article a few weeks back and did some comparative shopping at that time in Bellingham to see if there are any savings to be had. I found that bicycle consumers have it pretty good in Canada because with all things considered there were no savings in the US that would justify the drive. Since that article, a few Canadian bicycle suppliers have released statements in regard to this situation.�
In a November 2 letter to their dealers, Jim Harman, president of Norco Products Ltd states that as new inventories arrive, Norco will be adjusting prices. As of now though, Mr. Harman points out that suppliers and retailers are selling goods that they have in stock and bought months ago at a higher exchange rate. He points out that there are other factors that affect Canadian pricing relative to the US as well. Among those are the lower taxes and duty rates that US pricing is structured under, as well as the economies of scale in the US. These are hard points to argue against but they only stand as justification to the most compassionate of consumers who don’t mind opening their wallets a little wider.
Mike Hieptas, the Canadian Sales Manager for Trek Bicycle may have hit the nail on the head when he wrote to all his dealers on November 1 that “I understand that the consumer doesn’t care what the exchange rate was at the time the wholesaler or retailer committed to the inventory. They just want to know if it’s cheaper to buy the bike in the US or in Canada.” To determine this include these factors in your calculations. There is a 13% Canadian Import Tariff (duty) for bicycles to consider along with the 6% GST payable on imported goods. There is also the 8.5% Washington sales tax to consider in your cross border shopping budget. Keep in mind that there is NO Provincial Sales Tax on bicycles in BC.

For our part we are keeping a close eye on pricing and adjusting to make certain that it doesn’t cost you anymore to support your local bicycle store. We are also supporting as many Canadian manufacturing companies as we can in our product mix. These dedicated people are facing some tough times as their export business is being severely affected at this time. Raceface, Devinci, Louis Garneau, Flat, Arkel, and Envy are a few of the Canadian manufacturers we are proud to represent. And like David Newsome we are doing our part to recycle and take advantage of rising commodity prices. Countless loads of the scrap aluminum and steel that usually gets discarded have been hauled to the metal yard and our cardboard is sent to a recycler as well. Unlike David we only recycle the stuff that belongs to us and we prefer to carry loads well less than two tons on our bicycle, that way we can keep our pedals turning.

Now that the Canadian dollar is par with the US dollar it makes sense that our time clocks should match as well. This weekend Daylight Saving Time ends and we are all supposed to set our clocks back 1 hour, unless you are from Saskatchewan. Those from Saskatchewan get a one hour head start on the rest of us because they need it. Do you know the difference between having your bike stolen in Saskatoon or in Vancouver? It’s so flat in Saskatoon that you can watch the thief ride away with your bike for 3 days. With less light comes, of course, more darkness. Luckily there are plenty of ways to illuminate that darkness, and for bike riders that is a good thing. The Province of British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act states that cyclists must have on the front of their bicycle a white light that is visible for at least 150 m and on the rear of the bicycle a red light as well as a red reflector. Cyclists are permitted to use flashing red lights. These rules are in effect one half hour after sunset till one half hour before sunrise.

There are many choices of bicycle lights available today. Generator powered, battery powered and even hydrogen powered bicycle lights are available. The decision as to which one is right for you can be boiled down to the question of whether you want to see or be seen? Being seen is critical for the commuter who can never have enough visibility. Seeing the road or trail is critical if you want to ride at the same pace as you do in daylight. Often for commuters there is enough ambient light that seeing the road is a secondary concern to being seen. For commuters who ride on unlit bike paths or mountain bikers on trails seeing is the first concern. For being seen there are a multitude of products available that all do a good job. Generally, more lights are better. I like to suggest having one light flashing and one on steady for the front and the rear. LED technology is great for these because they are very visible, lightweight and energy efficient. They draw so little power from the battery that the run times are in the 100’s of hours.

For lights that will let you see the road like you are still riding in Saskatchewan there is a technology explosion in new battery materials and bulbs. LED is an acronym we are all familiar with now but how about HID, Li-Ion, Lumens and Borofloat. That last one is a trade name but here are some things you need to know about the new high power lights that are available today. They are expensive. If you want to see the road it won’t be cheap, so budget $150 and up. The power for the light will come from a rechargeable battery pack. The new technology here is Lithium Ion, which is the same as in your cell phone, and if you don’t have a cell phone then go back to Saskatchewan. Li-Ion batteries are lighter then nickel metal hydride, nickel cadmium or the old sealed lead acid batteries.

To tell how bright a light is stare directly at it then close your eyes and count the white spots. If you would prefer to measure brightness without doing the white spot test then check the lights Lumens. A Lumen is a measurement of how much light is reaching what you want to illuminate. In scientific terms, 1 Lumen equals one foot candle falling on one square foot of area. Don’t get hung up on this definition too much or your brain might explode. Some light’s brightness levels are referenced by candlepower, which is a measurement of the brightness at the source and can be a deceiving when comparing lights. Other factors of a light’s brightness are the reflector used to focus the light and the lens that the light shines through. Some manufacturers will rate their lights by the actual light output of the finished product. Others will quote the bulbs manufacturer’s rating, before putting it behind a lens. That’s where borofloat comes in. It’s a type of glass that has excellent transparency and heat resistance. The last thing you want for your high powered light set is a plastic lens that distorts or blocks those expensive lumens you bought. Too dark to ride, get a good light and you can keep those pedals turning.

The actual inventor of the bicycle may never be known but if you are Scottish then you can be proud that a fellow Scot stands tall in the bicycles history. That person is a blacksmith named Kirkpatrick Macmillan. His name is on the list of famous Scotsman, joining such other luminaries as; Charles Mackintosh, the inventor of the raincoat; James Chalmers, the inventor of the self adhesive postage stamp; and John Napier, the inventor of logarithms. Mr. Macmillan is credited with inventing the first front steering, rear drive, pedal operated two wheeled vehicle. The credit may be more folklore than fact but that’s never stopped a Scot before. There is no surviving bicycle that was built by Kirkpatrick Macmillan and there is a lack of documentation about the invention. One of the interesting pieces of evidence is a traffic ticket, the first ever written against a cyclist. As the story goes,   “a gentleman from Dumfries-shire… bestride a velocipede… of ingenious design knocked over a pedestrian in the Gorbals and was fined five British shillings.” That gentleman has always been thought to be Mr Macmillan although historians are now questioning whether a blacksmith would have been described as a gentleman in the newspaper account of that event. For those that want to celebrate Kirkpatrick Macmillan as the bikes inventor there is nothing to stop them. To help them out there is even a festival held in his honour at Drumlamrig Castle near Dumfries in Scotland.

If you fancy yourself as an inventor then here is your opportunity to go down in history with Kirkpatrick and being Scottish isn’t necessary. The “Innovate or Die Pedal-Powered Machine Contest” has kicked off. Sponsored by the Specialized Bicycle Company with support from Google Inc the contest challenges participants to create a pedal powered solution for offsetting climate change. Information about entering can be found at www.innovate-or-die.com. Eligible entrants will be invited to post videos on the You Tube website that document and detail their pedal powered solutions. If only poor old Mr Macmillan had access to the internet he might have been able to document his invention.  Prizes include $5000 cash and Specialized Globe bicycles to the top entries. The contest closes on December 15th, 2007 with winners announced on January 15, 2008.

“We believe in the power of the bicycle,” is what Specialized’s Founder and President Mike Sinyard had to say about the contest.  “We believe that the bicycle can be a self-powered solution for reversing global warming, improving the enviroment and making the world a better place for future generations.” In order to do his part in the fight against global warming, Sinyard, along with Specialized employees rode the 600 miles from their office in Morgan Hill, California to the Interbike tradeshow in LasVegas last month.

Dan Reicher, director of climate change and Energy Initiatives for Google.org says that “We need new ideas and a new generation thinking about the issues surrounding climate change and possible solutions. This contest will encourage young people to think about their impact on the enviroment and to take a different approach. I look forward to seeing how people from around the world put their pedals to work.”

I have a little collection of pedal powered equipment that includes a blender that makes some incredible smoothies. I have used it at the Sapperton Street Festival in the past and I can’t say if it helped global warming but it sure helps you work up a thirst to enjoy that smoothie. Some other pedal powered devices I have are from the time before electricity I think. There is a pedal powered grinding stone and a treddle powered jig saw. Maybe I’ll get them buffed up and enter the contest. What will your invention be? A peddle powered water pump, lawn mower or skytram system maybe? Whatever you come up with, it just shows the possibilities when you keep those pedals turning.